Stranded
by EvilMindedZ
Summary: When Ezra has to stay behind with a wounded young girl on the planet that made him, one question arises: Will they make it out in time?
1. Concussion

" _Spectre six do you copy!_ " The voice that came over the comm was tinney, the transmission crackled. Blasts clanking off of metal and wood rang out, echoing the ones right near Ezra's ear. He winced away, bunching further behind the box. He had no idea what was in it, but Kanan hadn't told him.

Again.

He had also failed to mention the amount of bucketheads there would be.

"A little busy here Zeb!" Ezra yelled back.

" _I said do you copy!_ " Zeb yelled into the comm before Ezra could even finish his name.

"That's not good." Ezra muttered, switching to Hera's station. "Hera do you copy?"

" _I copy! Zeb's trying to get ahold of you!_ "

"I know! My comm's not working on that station! Tell him I can hear but I can't answer!" More blasts cut the air around him, burning the metal where they hit. The stormtroopers were closing in. Hera said something over his comm but he couldn't hear it.

"Karabast!" He swore as a blast cut through some of his hair. "I didn't want to go bald _this_ fast!"

The closest troopers were close enough for Ezra to hear the orders barked over their comms. Too close.

" _Bring them in!_ "

"One cornered now!"

Ezra took the moment to pop his head above the crate and fire his slingshot, needing to duck down when blaster fire threatened to hit its mark.

" _Wrap it up! Keep it safe at all costs!"_

"Yes sir!"

A flurry of blaster bolts cut through the air with renewed fervor.

Ezra looked at his blaster and light saber, too far out in the line of fire to go and grab. But…

Despite the battle raging, the teen took a moment and began to enter the Force. It was hard to gain focus with the sounds of troopers so close. _It'll only take a second_. He reminded himself, pushing the thought of _it would only take a second for them to kill me, too._ to the back of his mind. Silencing your thoughts was the first step in step in entering the Force. It gave you added focus when you needed it most. _I don't have much time… come on._ Ezra thought, before taking a breath and plunging into it.

The Force was in turmoil.

Ezra's concentration nearly snapped. He'd been in the Force during battles, of course, but the shock of it was something he hadn't gotten used to yet. _When finding an object focus on what's stationary in the Force._ Kanan's lesson came into his mind, and he searched among the churning for the immobile things. The ground, the walls, the ceiling. He worked his way inward. The beams. The windows. The vents. The boxes.

The blaster.

Focusing only on that, the closeness of the troopers threatening to break his concentration, Ezra snatched at the threads around the weapon, he yanked it toward him with the Force. The Force responded, zipping the metal at him. He felt the familiar feel of steel in his hands, the cold of it almost painful. His hand closed around it, and he instantly felt safer.

"Converge!" A trooper shouted, so close he couldn't have been more than six paces away.

Ezra dove into the Force, searching for his master. _Kanan help!_ He shouted, knowing the message would reach him one way or another.

The teen kicked out at the box he was behind, causing it to knock one trooper off balance. Still using it as a shield, he popped up and flung another energy bolt at them before ducking back into cover.

The shout of rage and command was muffled as the door of the warehouse banged open. " _Ezra!_ " The voice was unmistakable. Gruff and authoritative and concerned. It was Kanan.

"Where the hell have you been!" Ezra blurted, firing off more energy bolts.

Kanan ducked behind a metal can as he was fired on. "I was fighting off my own troopers! I knew you could hold your own!"

Ezra fired at the bucketheads assailing his master before answering. "Could you not tell I was about to be captured!"

"I was going as fast as I could! I could tell as soon as you lost your focus!" Kanan remained down.

"When did I lose focus!"

"When your comm went out and when you tried to enter the Force."

"There is no try! I _did_ enter the Force!"

"Yeah after longer than it should have taken."

"Excuse me for being _alone_ in the middle of a fire fight! I was trying to get my one and only weapon and my one and only backup was off fighting his own troopers. Where did you run off anyway!"

"I told you as I left! Hera needed me to clear the landing!"

"If you mean told me during the firefight-" Ezra paused to shoot off another couple of blaster shots. "-Then no, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my death whooshing past my ears!"

"We don't have time for this kid!"

"Then why did you start it!"

"I didn't start it, you did!" Ezra shouted as he fired two more blaster bolts at the troopers.

"You're the one who isn't focusing!"

"Because you're the one who's distracting me!"

Kanan gave a grunt as he was struck with a bolt.

"Hey bucketheads!" Ezra shouted, gaining the attention of two of the dozen in the warehouse. He shot one of them with his blaster as Kanan took out three more.

"Set your blaster to kill!" He snapped. "That's what they've got theirs on!"

Ezra clicked the nozzle to kill and popped up again, firing on them.

Three fell dead within a ten seconds.

"Karabast!" Ezra swore when a blast of energy nearly hit him dead in the face, an orb of blue nearly smacking his forehead, pinging against the metal behind him. "That was too close!"

"Are you okay!" Kanan shouted above the melee.

"Better than ever!" Ezra snapped back sarcastically. He peeked around for a second to take note of his surroundings, hoping that he had more cover to duck behind.

There was almost nothing.

Aside from the wooden boxes along the sides of the walls and the windows poles between 20 feet intervals, there was nothing. The windows were barred, something Hera had said had been a precaution from the Clone Wars as they were flying in, the floor laminate tile with scratch marks from God only knew what. Ezra didn't want to think about it.

Kanan was crouched behind a metal can, the blasts already having put holes through it, the metal blackened and almost burned away in some places. Ezra didn't even want to think about the wood boxes.

"Aim for the crates!" a comm squawked.

"Oh no you don't!" Kanan shouted, firing off four more blasts of electricity. Four more troopers fell.

 _He must have gotten it from a trooper._ Ezra thought to himself. It didn't look like his.

"Ezra cover me!"

"What are you going to do!" he shouted back.

"Just _trust_ me! We've only got a few minutes before reinforcements arrive!"

"I do trust you!"

"Good!"

He felt a familiar presence at the back of his mind, and opened it to his master.

 _What do you need me to do?_

 _Stand up and drop your saber._

 _You want me to_ what _!_ Ezra could feel his disbelief radiate into the Force, and knew that Kanan could feel it too. That and his fear.

 _I won't let anything happen to you kid, do it. I promise, you'll be fine._

 _Should I tell them to stop firing or something?_

 _No, just stand with your blaster up. On my count. One, two… NOW!_

Ezra stood without thinking, raising his hands as he did so and wondering just what his master had in mind. One trooper let out another blast before holding fire.

Ezra winced at it glanced his shirt, a dull ripping sound fading across the warehouse.

Silence and stillness froze time, and for a moment peace reigned the air.

The bucketheads gave shouts as their blasters were thrown out of their hands. "Hey!" One of them shouted, reaching for his comm. Kanan shot the blaster, and another one fell dead.

Ezra clicked his own blaster, hitting one in the shoulder.

Three standing, two of them rushed Ezra, one running toward Kanan. He fell to his knees, sliding on the ground and returning fire as the trooper clicked his blaster, once, twice, five times, sending bolts ripping through the metal trash can.

Ezra fired at the two stormtroopers rushing him, missing one and hitting the other on the black undercover of his suit. He fell, toppling into the running one, catching Ezra off guard.

"Watch out!" Kanan shouted, running at his padawan.

Ezra turned his head, to see beyond Kanan a girl, maybe ten years old. "Wha-" He began, before a sharp pain in his skull stopped his words.

"Leave him alone!" A young voice shouted, laced and shaking with fear. There was a thunk as something-a stone?-clunked off the troopers helmet.

The storm trooper turned to her with rage.

 *****I will edit like crazy later, probably tomorrow because I have nothing going on. I'm very tired but I did promise this for you guys. Thanks for sticking with me.****


	2. The Escape

******Yes this is a Fanfic that Rebels-lover asked me to do and yes I will accept ideas for all Fanfics if you wish me to write one for you!****

Kanan reacted first, confusion that must have been concussion clouding Ezra's mind. His master fired the blaster, felling the last trooper still standing. With the immediate danger out of the way, he jogged over to the petrified but standing girl, kneeling in front of her. "Sweetheart, kid, hey you're safe." He awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder. Not wanting the attention and knowing Ezra needed him more than she did, the boy say her point in his direction and say something.

Kanan turned his head and saw him lying on the ground, turning to the girl before spinning around to his feet and running over to his padawan. "Ezra!" He called as he jogged, crossing the warehouse in only four seconds.

"You, move fast. Really, fast. Little, water drop."

"Can you walk, kid?"

"Can you dance?" Ezra asked with a drunken looking smile.

"No, I can't, actually." As he spoke, Kanan looped an arm around the boy's waist and grabbed his arm, wrapping it around his neck before standing. "Come on, I'm getting the two of you out of here. Ki-" Kanan turned his head to look at the girl to find that she was gone.

Ezra could feel his master's concern well, his head darted around. "Kid, where'd you go!" He shouted, voice uncertain. "Ezra hang on I'm going to enter the Force, I need to find her."

"Find her, find her… hey did I say that twice?"

"Yeah, you did."

"Whoa, what's wrong with me?"

"You have a severe concussion. I'm keeping a hand on your head wound so that the bleeding will slow."

"Oh gee I thought that was hot sauce on your hand." His voice was laced with slurs and sarcasm. His vision fogged and his eyes drifted upward before he realized where he was looking and brought them down again. The glare off the windows was blinding, making his head hurt. _Glare? What's the light doing out there?_ He thought to himself, struggling for a moment to remember where he was. "Um, Kanan, I don't feel so good…" He looked over at this master to realize he'd already entered the Force, probably already searching for the girl's life source. Not wanting to be sick Kanan's shoes, he squirmed out from under his hold, staggering a few steps before losing his stomach on the age old tile. It and spots of blood dripping from his head soiled the floor.

"Ezra…!" It was Kanan's voice.

He turned. "I'm sorry, sir." He felt his legs start to give out but remained on his feet. "Sorry I'm so, fall-y. Haha, fall-y, wall-y, wiggly-wobbly…" Ezra giggled, putting his hand to the warm droplets on his face and pulling it away to look at it. "It's red…"

"It's blood, kid. Come on, I'll get you out of here. Time for a ride. Keep your hand on that." Kanan added, moving quickly toward the boy before stooping, grabbing his legs and throwing Ezra over his shoulder. "I'll get you out of here. Just don't fall asleep."

"How can I when you're making my head shake." Ezra muttered.

"You've got a concussion and you're still snappy as ever. Why am I not surprised."

"Pretty floor, I'm painting hehe… red and red and dirt… Lots of paint hehe, I sprung a leak! I need a new can, this one is all cracked. It's leaking faster with all your bounces!"

Kanan started to walk out of the room, his concern growing as he walked, listening to Ezra's babbling. _At least he's not worried about it_. He thought. "You're confused, Ezra."

"Noo, you're confused. Ha! I should call you Obi-wan! You look like him. You sound like him. Always no, Ezra. No, Ezra. Don't go to sleep Ezra. Don't make Hera mad Ezra. Don't keep a pet Loth-cat, Ezra. Loth-cats are pretty and pet-y and dangerous and you don't attack them if you don't attack you."

This was getting worrying.

"Ezra, I'm going to put you down for a second."

"And I'm going to blast your butt." The teen took his blaster still clutched in his hands and tapped Kanan's bottom with it as he was slipped off Kanan's shoulders. His master sat him against a wall.

"If someone comes around the corner that isn't me or the girl, you yell for me."

Ezra gave him a thumbs up with the hand that had been covering his wound.

"Keep covering that, I'll be back." Ezra didn't respond other than to go back to covering the gash on his head as Kanan ran off.

Kanan knew that there wasn't much to be done against a concussion, but pushed concentration and focus and calm toward his padawan.

 _Right, right, focus._ Ezra thought to himself. His head began to pound, an ache cresting where the gash was and sending tidal waves of pain around his skull. "Ow…" He mumbled.

He was so distracted by it and the concussion that he didn't hear the clomp of boots coming toward him.

Kanan sighed in worry for his padawan and for the little girl as he followed the path that the Force had cut for him, speeding down one hallway, then the next.

 _I haf'ta get Ezra outta here. I need to get him onto the Ghost to take care of that head wound…_ Kanan clicked his comm. "Spectre 1 to Spectre 4!"

" _Where the hell is Spectre 6!"_ Zeb shouted through the comm.

"Sitting against a wall with a severe concussion and head wound! I need you to transport! I'm getting a kid right now."

" _You're what_?!"

"I'll explain later! Get to the south sector of the building, Ezra needs medical treatment, _now_!"

Something in Kanan's voice left no room for argument.

" _On my way!_ " Zeb exclaimed.

Kanan breathed a small sigh of relief.

Another voice a couple seconds after Zeb's made him jump. " _What's the matter with Ezra!_ "

"Hera what are you doing on this channel!"

"What _is wrong with Ezra!"_

"He's got a concussion and some head bleeding! It's nothing major! I have to go!" He shouted into the comm, almost not catching Hera when she replied she was thirty seconds out. "Pick up is going to have to wait another few minutes!" He snapped, continuing on the path the Force had provided him. Something pulsed in it, and he picked up his pace. He recognized it as danger, and fear. "I'm coming kid, just hang on." He picked up his pace, running at full tilt, almost falling to the ground when ran over a slippery spot.

Just one hallway to go. Just one hallway down.

He didn't pause when the sound of stormtroopers caught his ear, and pushed faster when he heard the sound of muffled screams.

Kanan turned down the hallway, still running and nearly crashed head on into a trooper's back. In his left hand held a baton, raised, his right foot out in a kick to the girl's abdomen. A second storm trooper had his hand over her mouth, taking something out of his pocket. Kanan noticed it was a syringe.

His momentum not giving him time to think, he grabbed the wrist that held the baton, pulling it backwards toward him before snapping it to the buckethead's back. As the man gave a shout, starting to put his foot down, but Kanan looped his foot around his leg, causing him to topple over, Kanan cracking the baton onto his helmet as he fell.

"Wha-" The other storm trooper began, drawing the girl towards him a fraction as if to keep her against him.

The Jedi connected to the Force and yanked the syringe out of the trooper's hand, part of the needle breaking off into the girl's arm. Most of the liquid had already been injected. Kanan pulled out his blaster and shot the buckethead before he could do any more damage.

He went limp and fell back, going completely still.

The girl looked up at Kanan with terrified eyes, not daring to move, not even to speak, her breaths small rasps. Kanan kneeled beside her, putting his hands up before awkwardly tapping her shoulder. She flinched and scuttled away, whimpering.

"Kid I'm not going to hurt you, I'm one of the good guys. You're safe now." He gave her shoulder another pat, and she cringed in pain, her eyes scrunched closed before she opened them again. "Kid, come on, it's alright." He pulled her against him to feel how badly she was shaking.

"I'm scared…"

"Don't be scared, you're safe now. I'm gonna get you out of here." He patted her shoulder again.

"Ow…!" she exclaimed.

At that moment the comm squaked. " _Kanan Ezra's here with three dead stormtroopers and he's even more wounded now. Got blast burns on his arms and torso!"_

Kanan cursed inwardly. "Get him onto the ship, _now_! Are the crates secured?"

" _They are_!"

The Jedi breathed a sigh of relief. "Get Ezra out of there."

" _I am!"_

Kanan clicked his comm. "Hera, Zeb and Ezra with the crates are coming onboard, I'm coming behind them with a kid."

There was a pause. " _How young is she?"_ Hera's voice held concern.

"Maybe eight or nine."

" _Injured?_ "

"Both Ezra and the girl are. Have the medical bay ready!"

" _I will!_ _Let me talk to the girl through your comm._ "

"Okay," Kanan looked over at the girl. "My friend can talk to you through this. All you have to do is answer." He put the comm into his hand. "Hera go ahead."

" _What's your name, dear?"_

"Cissilia."

" _That's a gorgeous name, sweetie. Honey I know you're scared but everything's going to be okay now. The man who you're looking at, his name is Kanan. He's like a knight, honey. He doesn't let anyone hurt people. He's saved so many little girls just like you. He won't let anything happen to you, you're safe with him. I promise. You're safe with all of us."_

"Promise…?" The girl's voice was high strung.

" _I swear, Cissilia."_

The little girl nodded, but asked anyway. "Am I gonna be okay…?"  
" _You're going to be more than okay, sweetheart._ " Hera soothed.

Cissilia nodded, and put her head to Kanan's chest again.

"Thanks, Hera. She's calmer now. Still scared and shaken up but she's doing better." As spoke, Kanan lifted her up bridal style. "Come on, kid. Let's get you out of here."

Trusting Zeb to get the crates and, most importantly Ezra, out okay, he tapped into the Force again, allowing it to cut a path to where Hera had landed. He followed it, the white halls and metal doors and ramps a blur. Each time he heard a noise he ducked down into an abandoned sector of the warehouse, shushing the girl every time she gave a whimper of fear or pain. To his surprise, they made it outside without incident.

"We're home free, sweetheart." He muttered, looking at the downed ramp in relief. "We're almost there." He added, noting that her face was still turned to his chest.

"Hey, you! Freeze! Freeze or I'll shoot!"

Kanan turned around in surprise, Cissilia giving a strangled cry. She gripped him tighter. Knowing Ezra was of no help with his concussion, he turned around slowly. One lone stormtrooper had survived.

Kanan felt his face heat. "Oh I'm sorry, am I taking your newest guinea pig and supplies? My bad. I'll just leave her here then."

The girl gave another scream, higher and more panicked than the last, and tightened her hold on him.

"Shh," he whispered in her ear. "I have a plan and this is part of it. Keep your eyes closed, kid. It'll be over in just a second. I won't let them hurt you."

She loosened her grip on him long enough for the Jedi to get her arms from around him. As soon as he put her down, she curled into the fetal position, her back to the buckethead, whimpering and shaking, small hands in tight fists, so tight her knuckles were white, the nails of her fingers nearly drawing blood from her palms, eyes closed so hard she was almost seeing colors, the area around her eyes beginning to glisten. He noticed that the needle was still in her arm.

Kanan felt a pang of upset. He looked at the trooper's mask.

"Hands up!" The Imperialist shouted.

The Jedi didn't even respond more than to snatch at his blaster. He ducked as the buckethead fired, covering Cissilia with his body as he returned fire. She gave a cry of pain as the blast hit the trooper's shoulder. Two more rounds from the ramp of the ship and Kanan looked up and behind him. Zeb stood, Ezra's own blaster in his hands. Without wasting a second, although he knew the man was dead, Kanan scooped the girl up, bolting at full tilt to the ramp.

"He's on!" Zeb yelled before he was even five paces away.

The ramp started to lift as soon as he said it, and Kanan had to give a jump to make it.

"We made it. You're safe now." He said into the girl's ear, wondering if she was even cohesive enough to understand him.

Even as he made his way to the medical bay, Kanan couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the Force was giving him: that this was only the beginning.

 *****Sorry for the slow delay people, I'm juggling five Fanfics here all at over 2k words per chapter! As I asked on the second chapter in Hanging Onto the Light what do you think will happen!****


	3. Recovery

*****Sorry for not posting for so long! Writers block had a hold on me! I will be posting more soon though don't you worry! Thanks for sticking with me on this!*****

"Poor thing." Zeb muttered. "Doesn't even look older than seven."

Kanan agreed. The girl was skinny. Too skinny to have had proper meals for a long time, if not her entire life, and she was short, probably more so than she should have been, but it didn't surprise him because of the state she was in. Tattered clothes that had probably been worn since before the Clone Wars, bones sticking out everywhere from just beneath her skin. The occasional bruise or scar was the only thing giving her color. Her hair was unwashed and almost as thin as an infant's. "I guess we'll find out how old she is when she wakes up." was all he said. He had a solemn look on his face as he hurried to the medical facility.

 _Come on, kid. Just hang on._ To ease some of her pain and help her condition, Kanan channeled some of the Force. It responded by easing some of her pain. He relaxed slightly, almost tripping over a step before the Force sent out a warning. The Jedi caught himself and jumped to the top of it. He was only a hallway down, but it seemed like a mile.

When the door slid open Hera was just walking out, and she nearly bumped into Kanan.

She stifled a gasp at the child in Kanan's arms. "Oh my gosh. Oh the poor thing." She reached out and stroked her hair. Kanan looked down at her face. Even in sleep her face wasn't at peace. It was contorted in pain and fear. He felt his heart tug in sympathy and pity for her.

"I wonder how old she really is." His voice was absent.

Hera took the girl from his arms. "We'll find out when she wakes up." She sounded certain, and Kanan hoped that she was right. She laid the girl's limp form on the free bed before straightening. Her eyes locked with Kanan's. "I'm going to the cockpit to see that Chopper is following the right coordinates. Call if you need me."

Kanan nodded. "I will."

Hera looked relived. "Thanks." As she walked out of the medical bay, Kanan watched, wondering how she could stay so calm under such pressure. Of course, he could too and often did.

Kanan looked around the room. It was a dreary place, grey and white walls, metal bed frames, smells of disinfectant ambushing his sense of smell. The only soft looking things were the mattresses and pillows. Even the threadbare sheets looked rough to the touch. His eyes found the form of his padawan, keeping his eyes closed but sitting up. He walked over to him.

"Ezra?"

"Nn, Kanan?"

"Yup. It's me."

"H-i…" Ezra's voice was weak, and Kanan knew that there was something off about his voice but couldn't tell what.

"Ezra we need you to look, look around. You're okay."

His eyes cracked open. "Why is everything so bright!" He kept his eyes squinted through the glare.

Kanan sighed. "It's because of your concussion, kid. You're alright."

"Why does my head hurt?"

"Because you have a concussion." His master's voice fell flat.

"Why does my stomach hurt?"

"Force kid, haven't you ever had a concussion before?"

"Where am I?"

"You're in the _Ghost_."

"Who are you?"

"Wait what!"

"I was kidding about that…"

"Don't kid about that."

"Hehe… I'm kid…"

"Oh Force… Hera get in here I can't deal with this!" His voice carried down the hallway, and within a few seconds her footsteps rang out, walking toward the medical bay.

In another minute, her face peeked into the room. "What's the matter?"

"Ezra is too confused for me."

Hera sighed and walked fully into the room, sitting down on the bed that Ezra was sitting up in. "Ezra?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me, do you remember your name?"

"Yeah, you just said it, Ezra." His voice was slightly slurred as he spoke.

"And, do you know where you are?"

"Medical, thingy…"

"Good. Do you know the name of the ship you're on?"

" _Ghost_ … Right?"

"Yup, that's right. Good job."

"Girl… where is she…?"

Hera nodded her head to the other bed. "She's right there. She's resting."

"Why does my head hurt… it feels funny." He touched the patchwork.

"Easy, don't touch that. Your head hurts because you were hit."

"Oh… I hit Kanan's butt."

"What?" Hera gave a small, motherly chuckle.

"I hit Kanan's butt. With my blaster… it was right in my face."

"Oh, did he trip and fall onto you?"

"No, he put me over his butt."

Hera's mouth turned down in a frown. "Carrying you?"

Ezra nodded.

Hera turned to Kanan angrily. "You _what_!" Her voice was tinged with disbelief and-scolding? Kanan almost bristled.

"I _threw him over my shoulder_. Big deal! I carry him like that sometimes! I needed my blaster out!"

"You could have had it out _as_ you were carrying him. He could have bled out! You carry him _bridal style!_ Especially with a head wound! You elevate all wounds so the bleeding slows! Everyone knows that!"  
"I'm not a bride…" Ezra mumbled.

They ignored him.

"I didn't think it was that bad!"  
"How clueless can you be! This is why _I'm_ the medic around this place." Hera looked at the unconscious girl. "You left the _needle in her arm_?" She walked over to her arm and gently pulled it out.

"You didn't notice and you're supposed to be the medic? Mother hen." Kanan muttered.

Hera looked up to glare at him. "I'm the one who knows how to treat people around here. That is the end of this." Her voice held warning, and Kanan knew he needed to back down.

"Alright, alright." Kanan shook his head, turning to look at his padawan. "Are you okay?"

Ezra looked at him, puzzled, his eyes still glassy. "Um, okay. I'm okay." His voice was slightly slurred. He put a hand to his stomach. "I don't feel so good…"

"I know, kid. The nausea will wear off. Tell one of us if your head starts to hurt worse or you lose vision in one of your eyes."

It seemed to take an hour before Kanan's words penetrated his confusion. Ezra gave a slow nod. "Alright. Easy. Easy to do…"

Zeb spoke up for the first time since he'd entered the room. "He sure got his bell rung. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner!"

"So am I!" Kanan agreed.

Hera looked up at the Lasat, her hands stilling for the moment though remaining on the gauze. "Zeb, get to the kitchen. It's getting late and someone needs to cook."

"Why do I have to!" He protested loudly.

Ezra flinched.

"Because," Hera took an exasperated tone. "I'm tending to the girl who is in serious condition, Ezra is in no state to cook, and Sabine is off painting somewhere."

"Why can't Kanan cook?" He demanded.

Stressed, Hera didn't bother to hide her annoyance. "Because we need the food to stay edible long enough to eat it."

Kanan gave an irritated scoff. "I can cook."

"Yeah for a Loth-cat." Zeb said with a snort.

"And you can cook better than me?"

"Yeah, I can." Zeb turned on his heel.

"I can cook… Loth-cat… I had it on Lothal…" Ezra mumbled. "Loth-cat… like kitty cat… it tastes bad like rubber… I'll go and find a kitty-Loth."

"No, Ezra. You'll be staying _here._ " Hera said. "And sitting _still._ " The Twi'lek added, noting that he was still squirming.

"Fi-ine. I wanted to toast a Loth-y-Kitty."

Hera gently facepalmed and shook her head. "There's nothing much you can do for a concussion except keep your head elevated and maybe use an ice pack. I wrapped it and got the bleeding to stop, so that's a good sign. You'll be better soon." She turned to the medical droid. "When he falls asleep be sure to wake him every two hours until all signs of concussion are gone."

It beeped in response.

Hera turned to the little girl. "And tell me straight away when the little girl wakes up."

The droid beeped again.

"Thanks." With that, Hera turned and exited the medical facility, not saying another word.

Two days came and went before Ezra was completely healed, and another ten days after that passed before the girl awoke.

Her eyes cracked open in confusion, looking around her. Her feet found the floor, and on walking toward the door, it opened automatically. She stepped back, expecting someone to walk in, but was surprised when no one did. She walked through it out into the hallway, looking left, then right.

Cissilia felt a jolt of fear, never having been on a ship before. Hearing voices, she turned to her right, walking toward them.

Hera's face lit up. "Cissilia. You're up. How are you feeling sweetheart?"

"I… where am I…?" Although her eyes were half closed they showed glassed over wariness and curiosity. She rested her hand on the counter to steady herself.

"You're on board the _Ghost_ , our ship."

Kanan stood and walked over to the girl, a frown on his face. "You're not well, I can feel it."

"Feel it…?" There were half moons circling her eyes, so dark they threatened to eclipse her entire face, her cheeks flushed in fever.

"I can use something called the Force. It lets me feel other people's feelings, use my mind to move objects, and other stuff."

"Oh…"

He wrapped his arm around her to keep her steady. "Tell me what's wrong kid."

"N-othing… I'm just dizzy and tired…"

"It'll wear off. We sedated you so that you could sleep when you healed so you wouldn't be in so much pain."

"Oh. Thank you… for saving me… I didn't think you'd be able to save me… for healing me…"

"Your parents must be worried sick about you." Hera said. "Is there anywhere we can take you?"

Cissilia shook her head. "I don't have a home… I don't have parents… they died when I was two… other kids on the street took care of me until I got old enough to live without help."

Hera hid her pain. "Would you like to stay with us?"

"Can I…?" Her eyes went to Hera's face, some of the fog drifting from her eyes as hope lit beneath them.

"Absolutely." She replied, before Kanan could object.

"Thank you…" She coughed. "Who was that boy earlier? The one I saw in the hall…? He looked kind of familiar."

Kanan nodded. "That's Ezra. He's fifteen. He's my padawan. My apprentice."

"Is he okay now?"

"He is. He's all better. The concussion lasted for less time than we thought."

Kanan entered the Force, searching for his padawan. _Ezra, the girl we found wants to see you. Get into the kitchen._

 _Coming!_ Ezra answered, and almost immediately after footsteps echoed out in the ship, drawing closer to the three occupants. In another thirty seconds, Ezra's head peeked into the kitchen. "Hi there." He caught the eye of the Cissilia. "Hi, I'm Ezra."

The girl smiled tiredly. "I'm Cissilia. I'm ten."

"I'm fifteen. I thought you were eight, you look pretty young for ten."

"Oh… I haven't heard that."

"A lot of people think I'm thirteen because I'm so small."

"Oh."

As she spoke, Kanan let go of her.

Ezra gave her a wide grin. "Hey, you want me to give you a tour of this place?"

"Tour…?"

"Show you around."

"Okay!" Her eyes brightened a little.

"Okay, let's go!" He took her wrist and gave it a small tug.

"Thanks Ezra!"

"You're welcome." The teen took her down the hall. "Okay, what do you want to see first?"

"Um, my room?"

"Um, I think you'd be sleeping in this one." With that, Ezra went further down the hall and slid open a door. Inside there was a lone bed with one sheet and pillow, and on the opposite side a closet.

"Oh." Her face fell, before brightening slightly. "Thank you. I'm lucky to have this."

"Is that all the clothes you've got?"

"Yeah…" She was wearing a tattered shirt that rested halfway to her knees, her bare legs scratched and bruised, her shorts barely going below her knees.

"We'll get you new ones."

"Really?!"

Ezra chuckled. "Really kiddo."

Cissilia's face lit up. "Thank you!" She exclaimed, before starting to cough again. There was a rattle in her chest, a wet sound erupting from her lips whenever she coughed.

"Hey, what's wrong!" He asked, and put a hand on her back and shoulder as she doubled over.

"What!" She coughed. "What's wrong!" Another gasping cough. "With me!"

"I, don't know! Just hang on kid…!" Ezra turned to run back to the kitchen, but the girl held his arm tightly. "Okay, okay I'll stay."

"Ka-ka!" Panic shone beneath a sheen of tears. She coughed again, blood appearing on her lips and beginning to drip from her nose.

"Oh _karabast!_ " He raised his head. " _Kanan_! _Hera_! Get over here!" In his voice there was fear.

Before he had even finished his sentence the sound of footsteps pounded toward them. Kanan came into view first, a worried look on his face. He caught sight of the girl and his face turned to panic. He almost stopped short, but pushed himself towards her. She needed him and that was that.

He went to his knees, Hera right beside him.

The girl was still coughing blood.

"Just breathe, kid."

Hera took command. "Kanan just focus on calming her _down_." She spoke into her comlink. "Medical droid! Incoming girl, ten years old. Respiratory distress and coughing blood! Possible respiratory infection."

The girl wheezed a gasp at that, her coughs finally slowing down, blood dripping off her chin, still running from her nose.

Kanan rested her head against his chest, gently pressing down on her chin to help her airway. He softened his voice as he pushed calm through the Force at her. "Take it easy. Take it easy. There's a cure for this and we're gonna get it. Relax kid, you don't have to worry about this. Let us take it on. We've dealt with this before."

Hera added on as she motioned for Kanan to lift her. "We won't let anything else happen to you. You're gonna get better. I promise sweetheart. Kanan told you, you're safe with us, and that won't stop with this. We won't stop until you're better. You'll get through and we'll pull you through. Let it go honey, this is our worry now."

Her wheezes had lessened, and she grasped weakly at Kanan's shirt, most of her little strength sapped from her coughing fit.

"I won't leave you, kid. Don't worry."

"I'm sorry…" Her breath shook as she spoke, close to tears.

"What for?"

"I was a bad girl… that's why this is happening… if I was a good girl… if I was a good girl I would have been safe… if I was a good girl…"

Kanan cut her off, shushing her as he moved along the corridor. He could feel the heat from her forehead through his shirt. Her fever was alarming.

Hera clucked and said gently, "You didn't deserve this honey. You helped us. You helped us, they're the bad guys. You didn't deserve this, I promise. And I promise you won't be going through it much longer. You just hold on." She gave her a stroke on the face.

"We're here." Kanan said, relief evident in his voice. The door slid open automatically, and he raced in, Hera and Ezra following behind.

"Put her down there." Hera motioned to the closest bed and Kanan obliged.

He started to straighten out but sat when she remained holding tight to his shirt. "I'll stay, kid."

"Am I gonna die…?" She peered up through a curtain of sweat dampened bangs.

"We won't let you die. No way."

Ezra squeezed her hand. "We'll have you better in a couple of days. Just hold on."

Kanan shushed her as she whimpered, not moving as consciousness and cohesion floated away from her like a mist, dragging her to the depths of oblivion.

 *****DUN DUN DUN! WILL SHE LIVE OR WILL SHE DIE IS THE QUESTION! WHAT DOES SHE HAVE? ONLY TIME WILL TELL!*****


End file.
